Navigation Headings

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Broken Deeds, Broken Hearts

4/5 Stars on Amazon

This full-length book is available for 99 cents on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited for free!

Story-line:

At the age of fifteen, Carly Sue McCluskie
ran away from the family farm to escape her abusive great uncle Ezra and the
torment of her classmates only to end up homeless on the streets of Salt Lake
City. Eight years later, she reluctantly returns to oversee Ezra’s estate and
is not surprised to learn someone killed the old codger. What she didn’t expect
is someone attempting to kill her.

Seth Wakely and his family have been
feuding with the McCluskies for a lifetime, but that doesn’t stop him from helping
a neighbor in need. Seth is as surprised as a pig laying an egg when he learns someone
in their little country town might have killed Ezra and now Carly Sue’s life is
in danger.

Seth finds himself torn between protecting
her and the bitter memories of the past, including what he did to Carly Sue.
Good thing he can send his Border collie, Jewel, over to protect her.

Will their Hatfield and McCoy relationship
continue, or will Carly Sue and Seth be able to conquer the anger which corrals
them and, instead, learn to love?

Here's an excerpt:

Carly Sue McCluskie leaned her hot pink Kawasaki Ninja
motorcycle into the turn down the dirt road to the old farm and slowed. She
hated the idea of returning after eight years. She had done everything in her
power to leave her past behind and her memories of growing up in Elkhorn, Utah.
She hadn’t set so much as a foot back in the whole of Summit County since
leaving at the age of fifteen. Every decision she had made since then had been
to distance herself from the country lifestyle Ezra, her father’s uncle, had
tried to ram down her throat.

She couldn’t say she was sorry the old buzzard had died,
either. He was the most miserable man God had ever placed on the earth. She
didn’t regret the day she had run away to escape him. Spotting the rusty tin
roof of the barn and sporadic blue shingles left on the old house made her slow
her progression even further. Just getting closer brought back years of pain
and suffering from having lived with him.

And it wasn’t just Ezra. At the time, she suddenly had no
friends at all at school. She had no idea what had happened, only that everyone
avoided her like the plague. She had walked up to her best friend, Bailey,
standing at their locker. Bailey had looked at her with big teal eyes and
pulled at one of her auburn braids. “Sorry, Carly Sue. You know how it is.” She
shrugged, turned, and walked away. She never spoke to Carly again.

Carly hadn’t understood what had changed. She still didn’t
understand. Why had everyone started treating her differently…cruelly? Of
course, she had never had many friends because of Ezra, but what had changed?
Her chest tightened, and she swallowed hard. She didn’t want to remember the
past.

She wanted to get this whole business of closing Ezra’s
estate over with and get on with her life at her bakery, Sweet Creams. She had
worked hard to get this far, and she had done it alone.

She wanted nothing from Ezra, not that there would be
anything left. She wasn’t stupid. The attorney, Andrew Baxter, had indicated
there were financial concerns, and she knew Ezra well enough to know he would
have drank any profits the farm produced. So far, they hadn't been able to find
a Last Will and Testament or any of Ezra's other important papers. Most likely,
there weren't any to be found. Everything would go into probate and then his
creditors would be paid off. That was fine with her. She hadn’t even wanted an
autopsy, but they had insisted since he died alone. They considered that
suspicious circumstances. She had no idea why she agreed since he was
seventy-five and an alcoholic. And, Carly wasn't even certain why she had
arranged for a graveside service, except maybe to make sure he was actually
dead and buried. She scoffed. She would have rather had him cremated and not
bothered with a burial, but then she would have had to wait until the autopsy
and the rest of the investigation was over. She wanted him gone and buried.
There was no love lost between them.

She pulled up next to the rickety picket fence that needed a
good coat of paint and parked her motorcycle. She half expected Mr. Baxter to
meet her, but they hadn't made such an arrangement. She slipped off her helmet,
swung her leg over the seat, and hung her helmet on the handlebar. She peeked
at her image in the side mirror of her motorcycle. Helmets did nothing for
hairdos.

She tried to fluff her hair as she walked around the side of
the house, checking things out. The place hadn't changed for the good over the
years. Of course, Ezra wouldn’t have wasted good liquor money on paint, that
was for sure. She looked up and noticed an open window on the house. What would
that be doing open? Water came flying out of the window, not giving her a
chance to flee or duck. The cool liquid hit her right in the face and soaked
the front of her blouse. She gasped.

“What in the name of Beelzebub—” a voice came from the
house. “Is that you, Jewel?”

Carly couldn’t catch her breath to answer. Something moved
behind her. She whirled around, her hair dripping water, to face a growling
Border collie. The right side of the dog’s face was black, the other white.
Carly noticed the graying muzzle and light brown eyes. The screen door squawked
and slammed.

A cowboy—hat, boots, western-detailed shirt and all—rounded
the house and stopped cold. Carly had never had anyone stare at her with such
intense emotion. She didn’t know what to make of it. The dog let out a small
growl again and looked at the man.

“Jewel, leave it,” he said, his expression quickly changing
and his lips pulling into a smile. He pushed his hat back and then folded his
arms across his chest. “Well, now. Mighty sorry about that.”

If she hadn’t been so angry, she might have noticed his
broad shoulders, bulging pecs, lean hips, wavy dark hair, and dusty brown eyes.
Wait a minute. She had noticed.

Please follow...

Follow with Bloglovin'

Follow by Email

Networked Blogs

About Cindy

What Cindy's Books Give You:

* A clean read with no bedroom scenes or offensive language.* A tantalizing, fast-paced plot.* Down-to-earth heroes and heroines.* A rollercoaster ride of emotions.* A special dog to steal your heart.* A few added facts.